Saloni was brought into the emergency department of EHA's Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital (BMCH) complaining of severe abdominal pain. The 22-year-old had been suffering for four days.

EHA's doctors found that she was in severe sepsis (a condition where chemicals that are released in the bloodstream to fight infection cause inflammation and potential organ failure). Her blood pressure was very low and her white blood cell count was 700 (normal is between 4,000-11,000). Her x-rays showed she had a perforated intestine.

She needed an immediate operation, so the doctors explained to Saloni's family that she had a 50 percent chance of dying with the surgery, but a 100 percent chance without. They operated and removed a section of her small intestine that had multiple holes. They kept her in the ICU and administered high doses of inotrope medicine to keep her blood pressure up. She needed a ventilator to support her breathing, so since BMCH does not have one, they urged her family to move her to a different facility rather than trust to manually ventilating her. A lack of finances caused her family to request that they do their best caring for Saloni at BMCH. Manual ventilation requires a person to squeeze a bag attached to a mask to force-feed air into the patient's lungs in order to inflate them. It must be kept up around the clock in order for a person to receive sufficient oxygen.

Despite the best efforts of BMCH's medical staff and after a hard fight to overcome her infection, Salomi succumbed to respiratory fatigue on the third day. It pained the staff to see a young life lost despite the best efforts of their team because of the lack of a ventilator. They are praying for God's provision of this piece of equipment which costs between 700,000-800,000 rupees ($10,000-$12,000).

If you would like to contribute to the purchase of a ventilator for Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital, click here and choose BMCH in the drop-down menu.

Through a Volunteer Experience...Student Called to Missions

Leaving behind her family in the United States, Jenny Vliek traveled halfway around the world to volunteer for three months at EHA's Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital in Alipur, Assam.

While serving at BMCH, Jenny came to understand her calling to missions. She expressed her joy and appreciation in a letter later written to hospital staff.

Jenny shared, "I will begin my studies this fall in Intercultural Ministries and Teaching English as a Second Language. As I sit here, I cannot help but think of all of you at BMCH. The Lord used my time at your hospital to deeply interest me in living my life in missions work for Christ, and it was only after staying there with you all that I felt a true calling to pursue missions at college. I want to thank all the hospital staff and students once again for being such Christ-like disciples and wonderful hosts. You all shine so brightly for Christ and show how to use your talents to glorify Him."

Ranbir, a one-month-old baby boy, was struggling to breathe, so his parents brought him in to the Primary Health Center in the state of Manipur. The doctors there told the parents that he was seriously ill and would not survive the night. In the morning, he was still alive, so they decided to bring him to Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital in Assam.

After EHA's doctors examined the baby, they explained to the parents that he was hypoglycemic and was experiencing seizures and intermittent stoppage of breathing. Even though none of BMCH's doctors are pediatricians, they agreed to treat Ranbir as best they could, since the parents were unwilling and financially unable to take him elsewhere. After three near respiratory arrests, numerous seizures, and a lot of manual ventilating, the hospital staff told the parents that Ranbir likely would not survive the night and asked to intubate him, but they were unwilling. By morning, everyone was surprised to see that the baby was still fighting to for his life. The staff convinced the parents that since Ranbir was fighting so hard, maybe God wanted him to live, and that they should take him to the nearest medical college for further treatment.

Two weeks later, the staff had almost forgotten about Ranbir, and most had assumed he hadn't survived, when his uncle came in to BCMH with another patient. He reported that the baby was alive and thriving at home, feeding well and moving normally. Hospital staff were overjoyed at this miracle and thankful that Ranbir had made it despite the odds he was up against.

Experiencing...Physical and Spiritual Healing

He had gone for care at other medical facilities, but it hadn't helped. Eighteen-year-old Ponchon Mirda was desperate. The staff at Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital began to treat him, but the medications they tried had no effect.

Ponchon Mirda and BCMH staff

Confident in the Lord's ability to heal, they began to pray for Ponchon. Within two days, he began recovering, and within one week he was well enough to go home. Most importantly, Ponchon heard the gospel at BMCH and responded. Little did he know he would receive spiritual as well as physical healing at this mission hospital.

Through Community Health Programs...Spreading Medical Care

Each EHA hospital has a Community Health and Development Program (CHDP) that works in surrounding villages to provide medical care. Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital holds medical camps to provide preventative and current medical care in 12 outlying villages. Their vision is to empower these communities to take charge of their medical care and also help them access government programs that provide needed services.

Community health training session

There are many false beliefs and myths regarding medical care, as well as innumerable untrained "doctors" happy to take people's money for "treatment," so the CHDP staff hold teaching and awareness programs to educate villagers.

The CHDP staff team also assists with the training of missionaries and evangelists who work in rural areas so that they can provide simple medical care and direct patients to more extensive treatment at the hospital when needed. They teach these missionaries to do screenings for illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure. In this way, BMCH is able to spread health and medical care to many more people than just those who walk through their doors.

At BMCH...Nursing School Expansion Needed

According to the Indian Nursing Council Guidelines, the square footage required for a nursing school of 40 to 60 students is 23,720. The facility at Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital falls woefully short. Currently, they are only able to accept 20 students each year, but they hope to raise that to 30 in the near future.

In order to do this, they have prepared a blueprint to expand their current facility by 16,000 square feet. As you can see from the photo, their current schoolrooms are very cramped.

The BMCH School of Nursing is a blessing to many other EHA hospitals as well since they send out their graduates as well-trained nurses to work at other EHA locations.

Please pray for BMCH to be able to raise the required funds to complete this expansion of their School of Nursing. If you feel led to give toward this project, visit the donations page on our website and choose BCMH.

Training Up the Next Generation

BMCH School of Nursing

EHA's Schools of Nursing train up young women in seven different locations to go out and serve those in need all over India.

Nursing Graduates' Capping Ceremony

One of those Nurse Training Schools is located at Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital, which recently celebrated its 54th graduation ceremony, with 20 students receiving their Diploma Certificates in General Nursing and Midwifery. This nursing school boasts a 100 percent pass rate over the last several years, and the alumni from the school are well respected and sought out by various EHA and other hospitals. They are trained to give simple anesthesia, carry out basic diagnostics, present continuing education programs, and care for patients. Nursing students also study the Bible via correspondence courses, attend Sunday School classes and a student fellowship, and participate in morning devotions with singing and prayer for the hospital patients.

At the Burrows Memorial CHD Project

Gospel and Health Practices Shared

One area where these nursing students are a big help is in the Community Health and Development Programs. Burrows Memorial strives to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to educate the surrounding villages regarding good health behavior practices. They offer education classes on improved nutrition, self care and personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation including the important use of latrines. Nursing students teach some of these sessions, and their care for the villagers is evident. They also visit expectant and nursing mothers to talk about good health care for newborns.

Nursing students teaching CHD class

One specific issue addressed by these programs is the use of hygiene regarding toilets. Before this program, few villagers regularly used toilets, practiced hand washing, or bathed with soap. This understandably led to preventable sickness. Due to the tireless efforts of EHA staff and nursing students in providing villagers education on sanitation, health, and hygiene, many people have been inspired to change their living habits. EHA staff are motivated to teach these people practical health behaviors to improve their lives and health.

About Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital

Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital was started in 1935 by Dr. Crozier to serve the people of Assam. Located in the backward Cachar district, the hospital has focused on being a center for learning and research as well as on conducting minimally invasive surgery. Despite a lack of support and facilities in the beginning, Dr. Crozier and other pioneering missionaries were not deterred from keeping this hospital operating. Twelve years after it was opened, unfriendly neighbors burned it down. Still they continued on, desiring to have a great impact on the surrounding area. In 2000, BMCH joined Emmanuel Hospital Association and has been developing ever since.

Currently the hospital has 70 beds and is a modern surgical and medical facility. They offer services in surgery, general medicine, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. BMCH is one of the top-ranking hospitals in India for non-invasive surgeries including endoscopic, laparoscopic, and microscopic. Recently they have begun mental health services as well. Their fetal monitor was one of the first installed in all of Northeast India. Desiring to continue to develop medical training, they run a nursing school, a training program for laboratory technicians, and continuing medical education courses for students and doctors. Each of these programs allows the medical staff to keep abreast of rapidly advancing medical developments.

Going out into the community and outlying areas, they run diagnostic and surgical camps to care for patients and help determine who might need hospital care. They bring health education materials to educate the people. At the hospital they also have the Bethel English School, which offers a good education at a nominal cost for staff children and others in the community. They support and work with Alipur Baptist Church as well. Doctors, nurses, and students begin the day at the hospital by singing to and praying for patients in the wards. It is a wonderful way to care for those whom they serve so faithfully.